The Milton Keynes Artificial Intelligence (MKAI) Festival 2024 was a groundbreaking weeklong celebration of innovation, community building, and collaboration held from 28 October to 1 November 2024.
With over 2,300 attendees participating in 14 core and fringe events, the festival celebrated Milton Keynes as a dynamic hub for AI and tech innovation, building on the global momentum of the 2023 AI Safety Summit at Bletchley Park.
The MKAI Festival had three primary objectives:
- Create visibility for Milton Keynes - Showcasing the city as a vibrant, growing centre of AI and tech innovation.
- Provide learning opportunities - Supporting businesses, tech professionals, and local students by providing them with tools and knowledge to navigate the rapidly changing landscape of AI.
- Facilitating collaboration – Creating spaces for discussion between industry leaders, educators, students, and local government, essentially raising activity within the Tech Ecosystem of Milton Keynes.
The festival featured a range of events tailored to various audiences, from public-facing talks and forums to hands-on workshops and seminars. The topics covered included generative AI, AI ethics, AI in business, AI governance, and regulation. Through these events, the festival sought to address the challenges faced by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and tech professionals, providing practical ways to show how AI can be integrated into business practices and company frameworks.
In addition to the main events, the festival also featured student-focused activities, with three student events offering the next generation a chance to explore careers in STEM and AI, including hands-on activities and career guidance sessions.
Festival Highlights
Bletchley Park VIP Reception The festival launched with an exclusive event at Bletchley Park, hosting more than 100 industry leaders for high-level discussions on the future of AI. Notable speakers included Lord Tim Clement Jones CBE, Co-Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Artificial Intelligence, Tom Jeffery Co-Director of Defence and National Security from the Alan Turing Institute, Erika Lewis CEO Connected Places Catapult, Iain Standen FRSA CEO of the Bletchley Park Trust, Shanika Mahendran Milton Keynes Cabinet Member for Economy, Sustainability, and Innovation, and Callum Anderson MP for Buckingham and Bletchley.
Empowering the Next Generation A fringe event at Unity Place on 24 October, in partnership with Santander, welcomed over 1,000 students and 300 women, focusing on empowering underrepresented groups to explore careers in AI and STEM. The event featured inspiring talks, hands-on activities, and engaging exhibitions.
Events With 13 partners including Bletchley Park, Santander, The Open University, the HMGCC, and more, the festival offered a variety of tailored experiences for Milton Keynes and regional professionals. From hands-on experiences like coding workshops and hackathons to thought-provoking discussions, it was our aim at Milton Keynes Council to provide a series of learning opportunities for professionals, students, and tech enthusiasts alike.
Some highlights included:
- The Generative AI – Adult Learning and Skills Conference which drew over 200 attendees, exploring the transformation of AI within adult education and workforce reskilling. Key speakers from Infosys, Microsoft, and UCL provided actionable insights into the future of learning.
- MK Geek Night – AI Festival Special by Protospace which brought together creative minds.
- MK Tech Forum which provided a platform for enthusiasts and professionals to share insights into AI’s latest advancements.
- An event with HMGCC - The Challenges of Responsible Generative AI; dealing with the ethical and regulatory challenges associated with AI implementation.
- A fireside chat with Santander providing practical examples of responsible AI in action, with a particular focus on Santander’s initiatives for professionals looking to implement responsible AI practices in their own organisations.
- The festival concluded with the Smart City Consultancy Launch Event, showcasing innovative projects like autonomous shuttles and drone ports. This event drew over 150 attendees and received prominent media coverage from outlets like BBC Look East and MK Citizen.
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Pictures from the 2024 AI Festival
In a glance:
- 14 core and fringe events delivered across 5 days.
- 2,300+ attendees, including over 1,000 students and 300 women in STEM-focused programmes.
- 100+ industry leaders engaged in high-level discussions at the Bletchley Park Reception.
- Featured prominently in the media, with coverage in BBC Look East, ITV East Anglia, and MSN, creating a PR value of £37,135,980 and generating a media reach of 25 million.
- 100% partner satisfaction, with all interviewed partners expressing interest in future involvement.
Looking Ahead
The MKAI Festival 2024 not only celebrated the advancements of AI but also laid a strong foundation for future events. It demonstrated Milton Keynes’ commitment to fostering an inclusive, innovative, and collaborative tech ecosystem.
As we set our sights on the upcoming Milton Keynes Tech Week 2025, we are excited to build on this momentum and further position Milton Keynes as a leader in the UK’s tech landscape.
For partnership opportunities or more information, please contact the Economic Development Team at Invest MK.